The Inquisitr » 3g

Samsung Behold II Arrives At T-Mobile On November 18th

James Allen Johnson — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:29:16 +0000

T-Mobile USA today announced the official November 18th release date for the Samsung Behold II, the companies next phone to feature the Google Android OS.

The Behold II features 3G data speeds and WiFi for easy connectivity, while also becoming the first T-Mobile sponsored device to feature a 3.2-inch AMOLED screen. The smartphone also features a 5MP camera with autofocus, zoom, flash, five shooting modes and video recording capabilities

Samsung has also integrated their “Cube Menu” which gives fast access to music, photos, videos, web surfing, YouTube and Amazon MP3 music download.

“With its first-rate multimedia capabilities front and center, the Samsung Behold II adds an exclamation point to T-Mobile’s already impressive Android lineup for the holidays,” said Wendy Piñero-DePencier, vice president, brand and calendar marketing, T-Mobile USA. “The combination of 3G speeds, its high-resolution touch-screen, and access to loads of entertainment features is sure to make the Behold II into a holiday hit.”

The Android-powered phone also features the Samsung TouchWiz user interface with its moveable widgets and one-touch access to commonly used features and applications.

Users will also be able to take advantage of Google services directly from their phone, including Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube and Google Talk, while of course downloading applications and games from the Android Market as they see fit.

Business users will also find some handy options via the Samsung Behold II such as personal and corporate e-mail abilities with Exchange ActiveSync.

The Behold II also features built-in GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 + A2DP, visual voicemail, and MicroSDHC card support that can provide up to 16GB, although a 2GB microSD card comes standard with the device.

T-Mobile has stated that the smartphone will be ready for sale at nationwide T-Mobile retail stores and through T-Mobile.com beginning November 18th, 2009.

AT&T Shows Off Sierra Wireless 7.2Mbps USBConnect Lightning

James Allen Johnson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:33:32 +0000

With AT&T rolling out 7.2Mbps 3G services it was only a matter of time before they begun showing off the devices that will power those connections, one of the first being the AT&T USBConnect Lightning designed by Sierra Wireless.

The USBConnect Lightning offers 7.2Mbps downlink capabilities but outside of that fact it’s nothing more than a standard USB stick, although it does offer a “swivel usb port” that makes connecting the unit to your gadgets a whole lot easier.

The device rolls out officially on November 22nd and can be snatched up for free with a two year data plan agreement.

The original launch is set for Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles, all of which will go live by the end of the year. [AT&T]

Sprint To Offer Google Android-Powered ‘HTC Hero’ By October

AHN — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:45:47 +0000

Sprint Nextel will give search engine giant Google more support in the mobile phone market after announcing it will offer a a product that uses the Android operating system.

Beginning Oct. 11, Sprint will offer the HTC Hero, which runs Google Android, the open-source smartphone operating system. As a result, the $179.99 phone will come ready to sync up with Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube.

“The arrival of HTC Hero and the Android platform to Sprint’s network is an important milestone for our customers and the U.S. wireless industry,” Sprint Vice President of Product Development Kevin Packingham said Thursday. “With the dependability and coverage of Sprint’s 3G network, HTC Hero users will appreciate a much better experience than is possible now with any other Android phone operating in the United States.”

The move is a great sign for Google as it battles Palm, Microsoft, Apple and others to break into the mobile phone market. Google’s open-source approach has failed to gain serious traction, especially after Apple hit the market with its popular iPhone media player/cell phone hybrid.

Google Vice President of Mobile Platforms Andy Rubin put his spin on the deal: “Sprint and HTC are helping to drive openness and innovation in the mobile industry with the introduction of the Android-powered HTC Hero.”

[Image: Sprint]

Another iPhone Fix on the Way?

JR — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:42:42 +0000

With the sort-of-maybe-kind-of-partial-fix for 3G now deployed around the world, Apple may be moving on to another software patch for its seemingly problem-plagued iPhone.

An e-mail said to be from Steve Jobs indicates a new update slated for September. The update will fix a bug that causes the phones not to load some third-party apps at startup, AppleInsider reports. The site says a user had e-mailed Jobs and then received a one-line personal response:

“This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September.”

The app issue is the latest in a line of widespread problems for the iPhone, which started right off the bat with the activation day meltdown. MobileMe problems followed, and then, most recently, we’ve seen the well-reported coverage and dropped call woes.

Still, Apple is doing all right on the whole: A consumer satisfaction study made public this week shows the company scoring a record-high number, with 85 percent of its users saying they’re happy. The next highest-rated company, Dell, came in 10 percentage points lower.

Of course, that survey was probably taken before the iPhone came out. Are people still satisfied?

iPhone 3G To Start At $199

JR — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:15:05 +0000

It’s official: The new iPhone 3G is on the way and will start as low as $199. Steve Jobs revealed the news at Monday’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

The iPhone 3G will be released July 11 in 22 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the United States. The black 8GB model will be marketed at $199, while the 16GB version — to be made available in either black or white — will go for $299.

The new phone will be a smaller and sleeker design with solid metal buttons and the same large display. The added 3G support will mean data downloads almost three times faster than EDGE speeds, Jobs said. The iPhone 3G is also 36 percent faster than other comparable phones like the Nokia N95 and Treo 750, according to Apple. It will also add integrated GPS support, which will allow for “tracking” — a moving dot on a real-time Google map showing your location.

The updated model is said to have 300 hours of standby battery life and double the amount of talk-time as its predecessor, with five full hours. It will offer five to six hours of high-speed browsing, seven hours of video, or 24 hours of audio without the need to recharge.

Jobs said the updated phone will include fully built-in enterprise support, third-party application support, as well as support for more countries than ever — now 70 total — thanks to the many added features in the upcoming iPhone 2.0 software package, also announced Monday along with a slew of new third-party applications.

Apple is hanging onto its goal of 10 million iPhone sales by the end of 2008 — a mark that will no doubt be made easier once the new phones hit store shelves.

Countdown To iPhone 2.0

JR — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:23:02 +0000

Steve Jobs is expected to announce an amped-up new iPhone later today.

Jobs’ keynote address at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, at 10 a.m. PDT, is widely anticipated to contain the news of the new 3G-capable phone. Rumor has it the cost will drop down to $199, too, and could be available as soon as the summer.

We’ll be watching and will bring you the developments as they happen right here.